Eritrea declared independence from Ethiopia in May 1993 after a 30-year armed struggle, and almost immediately began issuing collector coinage — not for domestic circulation, but as a revenue stream for a government that had essentially no foreign reserves. The Triceratops issue was part of that first wave, produced under contract by a foreign mint and aimed squarely at the international numismatic and bullion collector market.
Eritrea has no known fossil record of Triceratops. The subject was chosen purely for commercial appeal.
Eritrea declared independence from Ethiopia in May 1993 after a 30-year armed struggle, and almost immediately began issuing collector coinage — not for domestic circulation, but as a revenue stream for a government that had essentially no foreign reserves. The Triceratops issue was part of that first wave, produced under contract by a foreign mint and aimed squarely at the international numismatic and bullion collector market.
Eritrea has no known fossil record of Triceratops. The subject was chosen purely for commercial appeal.